After Happily Ever After
by Nunee
Summary: In romances, we are left to believe that all is smooth sailing after happily ever after, but life doesn't happen that way. In this sequel to Now and Then, Damon and Elena continue to grow as a couple. As they plan a wedding, get married and start their life together, they come to realize that it's not what life hands you but how you handle it together that matters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi Guys! It's been a long time coming but I am finally back with the sequel to Now and Then. If you haven't read that one, please pop over and give it a read. We're picking up just a few weeks after where we left off with that one. This short but I wanted to toss it out there to get the story started. Thank you for reading! As always, I really do appreciate all of the Favorites, Follows and vastly appreciate your taking time to review!**

After Happily Ever After

Prologue

Did you ever stop to wonder what happened after Cinderella's ball gown was taken to the cleaners and stored for whatever purpose it is that brides store their wedding dresses? What about what happens to Vivian and Edward after that limo ride at the end of Pretty Woman? In the vast majority of fairy tales, romantic comedies and romance novels, no one ever bothers to tell us what happens after "happily ever after". I find that disturbing. I mean, do they really expect us to believe that is the end of their story? Because it isn't. Life keeps moving. We keep moving. Just because you were lucky enough to find the love of your life and have them feel the same way about you does not mean that the world is suddenly shooting rainbows out of their ears. No. Sometimes life gets on board and follows the grand plan but I'd wager that most times it doesn't work out like that. Take us for instance. I can assure you that we went through our share of twists, turns and general hell in order to be together. Things should be simple now: plan a wedding, wedded bliss, start a family…and more happily ever after. Right? Not so much. The important thing, I've found, _we've_ found (that's right, we're "we" people) is that no matter what life throws at you, you have to keep it interesting. You have to stick together. Otherwise, happily ever after might well become happily never after.

Chapter 1: Welcoming Home the Baby Brother

"Damon, stop!" Even I am not convinced by the girlish whine coming from my lips as Damon lifts me up and plops me down on the kitchen island.

"You just sit pretty while I get rid of this pesky thing." Damon's nimble fingers start untying the wrap dress that I am wearing.

"Jeremy's plane will be here in just a little over an hour!"

"Exactly, that gives me approximately 45 minutes to see how loud I can make you scream my name." His smirk is hot enough to melt my panties. Instead, he decides it's better to shred them.

"Damon!"

"Not exactly the type of screaming I had in mind," he chuckles before teasing my clit, making me moan. "Oh, you can do better than that. Your little brother is going to be staying with us for a week. I intend to enjoy these last few minutes of wild abandon before I have to be good so you don't wake him up."

"I'm not that bad!"

"Baby, I don't want your brother who is just getting out of the military to go all G.I. Joe on me because he hears you and thinks I'm trying to kill his sister." I pout obnoxiously at the thought of Damon actually refusing to have sex with me for the week just because he's afraid I can't keep quiet. "Of course I could stop by that little store you and the girls found and buy you a ball gag," he devilishly laughs.

I gasp. "You wouldn't dare!"

"Don't tempt me. Now lie down and stop being mouthy," he grins and kisses my nose.

"Why don't you make me," I challenge. I love to get my man riled.

"Gladly." The next thing I know, my hands have been tied together with my torn panties. "I just love having to be resourceful," Damon says as he loops his belt through the panties and fastens it to the towel rack on the other side of the island. "Now, you just relax while I enjoy an afternoon snack." Damon takes a sip of ice water before burying his head between my legs and driving me crazy while alternating using his tongue with using an ice cube. Believe me when I say I would've definitely woken up Jeremy because I'm fairly certain I just woke up the dead.

An hour and fifteen minutes later, I am pacing in the baggage claim area.

"Lena?" I hear the unmistakable sound of my brother's voice and turn.

"Jer!" Running towards him at full tilt I jump to hug him and am in turn spun around in a circle in a bear hug. "I'm so excited to see you! How was your flight?"

Laughing as he puts me back down on my feet, he pats me on the head as he answers. "It's good to see you too! The flight was fine." As Jeremey looks behind me his carefree demeanor vanishes. "Salvatore? What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Little Gilbert, I just gave your sister a ride to the airport."

"Elena, care to explain?" Jeremy looks at me questioningly.

"Sure, over dinner but, please, behave yourself. He's important to me and so are you so I need you two to get along." I plead.

"I'll do my best but I make no promises. He didn't see the mess that I saw." I can sense the testosterone oozing as his eyes shoot daggers over my shoulder at Damon.

"Jeremy, enough," I warn. "I hope you're hungry. I made…"

"Dinner? I think I'm going to skip," Jeremy smiles.

"No, I made reservations," I finish as I smack my brother on the arm.

Jeremy makes an attempt at small talk. "What about you, Salvatore, you ready for dinner?"

My cheeks color as Damon responds, "Well, I had a little appetizer before heading to the airport but I think I can hold my own."


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome Home Dinner

**AN: You guys rock! Thank you for the feedback, follows and favorites! There's a bit of recapping in this chapter as Jeremy is brought up to speed. **

Chapter 2: Welcome Home Dinner

"Do you happen to know a real estate agent?" We are just finishing dessert when Jeremy asks. Dinner has felt like a finely choreographed routine. Damon, who doesn't go out of his way to impress anyone but me, has been overly nice to Jeremy who has, in turn, been polite even if it has resulted in a fairly stilted conversation with everyone avoiding the elephant in the room. At no point has Jeremy questioned my relationship status with Damon nor has he noticed the ring on my left hand. Of course, most men don't notice accessories no matter how significant they may be.

"Real estate agent? Are you thinking about moving _here_ now that you are out of the military?" I practically squeal. Jeremy is my only family and the idea of him moving to the same city where I live is beyond exciting.

"Yeah," he grins. "So, can you help point me towards anybody?"

"I can help you out there," Damon offers. "The agent I had when I bought our house was great."

The silence that follows that sentence tells me everything I need to know about how my little brother is going to take my big news. After several very weighted minutes, Jeremy takes a deep breath before turning to me and spitting out "_Our_ house? What does he mean _our_ house?"

"Jeremy, calm down…" I start but he quickly interrupts.

"Elena, stop trying to pacify me and just answer the fucking question! Are you living with him?" I'm thankful that the restaurant has emptied because his voice is far from civil.

"You may speak to me any way that you want but you need to lower your voice and be respectful to her." Damon looks like he is ready to launch himself across the table if Jeremy so much as looks at me wrong.

"Fine, I'll say exactly what I've been thinking ever since I saw your sorry ass at the airport! You have a lot of nerve worming your way back into my sister's life after putting her through hell. She almost died because of you. I was almost left alone because of you. So don't act surprised that I am pissed that she has welcomed you back just so that you can screw her over again! Damn, Elena, how stupid can you be!"

The words no sooner leave his mouth than Damon is out of his chair and has Jeremy caged into his chair. The look on Damon's face is thunderous. "You listen and you listen good. You do not get to talk to your sister that way. There are things about our relationship that you don't know. If she chooses to tell you then you can draw your own conclusions and you can hate me. But I better never hear you disrespect her again." Damon stands back up, straightens his shirt and sits back down, draping his arm over the back of my chair.

"Jeremy, you need to know that there was a lot of miscommunication with what happened between Damon and I. There were things I never told you and because of that I can never clearly explain to you how truly mistaken I was."

"Elena, he left you and didn't look back." Jeremy's voice is more tempered after Damon's warning.

"No he didn't. I told Caroline that I didn't want to see him. He tried multiple times to contact me and even came to see me after he found out where I was but Caroline kept him away and didn't tell me. Jeremy, I know this is going to take some getting used to but you are going to have to accept the fact that Damon and I are together. You don't have to like it, though it would make my life easier if you did, but you do have to accept it."

"So you're living with him?"

"I'm living with him and so are you until you find a place to live so you had better be extra nice to him."

Jeremy sighs. "Any other little gems that you care to spring on me while we're getting all of the news out of the way?"

"Actually, there is and I hope that you can somehow find a way to be happy about it," I answer.

"What now?"

I hold up my left hand and sheepishly smile as I announce, "We're engaged."

Jeremy's only response is to get up and walk out of the restaurant.

"Well, that could've gone worse," Damon deadpans as I climb into bed. Once we got home Damon came to our bedroom while I got Jeremy settled in one of the guest rooms.

"How could it have possibly been any worse?" I moan as I am pulled into Damon's arms.

"He could've beat the shit out of me at the restaurant," Damon chuckles.

"Do you really think he could?" Jeremy will always be my baby brother so the idea of him being capable of harming my fiancé is beyond my perception.

"Elena, the kid was Seal. He could kill me with his bare hands if he wanted."

"He wouldn't. He knows I would never forgive him and he loves me too much to let that happen."

"Good to know my wellbeing rests on how much your brother wants to please you," Damon murmurs as he buries his head in my neck. When I sigh Damon shushes me. "Now, now, can't have baby bro storming in here and finding me stealing your virtue."

"Any virtue I had left you got rid of long ago. Besides, I locked the bedroom door." I grin as I trail kisses down Damon's torso before I pop up from under the covers. "You're wearing pajamas?"

"Your brother is right down the hall. I'm surprised you're not wearing them too. Pleased but surprised all the same."

I sit up giving Damon an unhindered view of my naked torso and untie his pajama pants as I purr, "If your _pleased_ by my lack of pajamas, you're going to be thrilled with this." Damon groans as I take his delectable cock in my lips.

I'm in the kitchen toasting bagels for our breakfast when Jeremy comes in yawning.

"Morning, sis."

"Good morning, Jer. There's a mug by the coffee pot. You still drink it black?"

"Sure do, thanks. So, Damon, huh?"

I guess we're just going to dive into this. "Yes, Jer, Damon. And I'm beyond happy so please, _please_ try to get used to this."

"Do you understand why I am hesitant?" Jeremy is much more calm today for which I am thankful.

"I do. I was extremely hesitant myself when I first ran into him." I chuckle as I add, "In fact, I made life as difficult for him as I possibly could. When I finally gave in and went out with him, he insisted that we take things slow. We still didn't really discuss what happened until Caroline and her big mouth…"

"Hey watch it!" Caroline grins from ear to ear as she strolls into the kitchen.

"Please, Care, feel free to use your key to our house anytime you see fit!" I laugh.

"Oh, I only use it when I know Damon isn't home. I don't want to risk walking in on you two getting creative on the kitchen table." I spit coffee into the sink with that proclamation.

"And now I'm deaf after hearing that," grumbles Damon. "Care! How are you?" Jeremy leaps up from his spot at the kitchen island to greet Caroline with a hug.

"I'm great! How is my hunky pseudo-brother?" I love that the two of them think of each other as family. When I wasn't able to take care of myself, Caroline moved in with us and took care of both of us.

"Not bad. I'm just trying to wrap my head around the fact that those two are together."

"Oh! That's why you called me a big mouth!" grins Caroline. "Seriously, Jeremy, she really is the happiest I've ever seen her. Did you tell him about the whole Rebecca's having Damon's baby thing?"

"That jackass got someone else pregnant?" Jeremy is back on his feet. "Where is he?"

"He's at work and you can sit yourself down! No, Caroline, I did not tell him about that!" I sit down at the island and bury my head in my hands. "OK, I guess I am going to tell you this sordid story. You remember my college roommate Rebecca?"

"The ditzy blond?"

"No, that would be Caroline. Rebecca was just the blond." I am going to be Rebecca's sister-in-law and we are working on building a good relationship so I have to disagree with the ditzy comment. "The night I had my wreck, before I left, I found a pregnancy test in the apartment and a lacrosse jersey with 'Salvatore' on the back in her room. I thought it was Damon's and jumped to conclusions but the baby wasn't his."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because it was Damon's brother's. I've seen Rebecca's son and he is the spitting image of Stefan. Anyway, as I was saying when Caroline came in, if she hadn't pushed us, we would've never talked things out and we wouldn't be where we are today."

"So he didn't knock up your roommate yet you had reason to believe he was capable of it? Well, isn't he a regular prince charming?" Jeremy drawls.

"He kind of is. He did save her from her stalker!" Caroline really needs to learn not to blurt out every thought she has.

"Stalker? What the hell? Elena, what's she talking about?"

"Oops," squeaks Caroline when I shoot her a withering look.

"I guess we have a lot of catching up to do," I mumble. "So, yeah, um, do you remember my friend Tyler?" Jeremy nods.

"Some friend!" huffs Caroline.

"He developed an obsession with me. When I got back together with Damon, Tyler got pretty upset and became kind of aggressive. Things started happening: anonymous deliveries and my apartment was broken into. Damon was refusing to let me out of his sight." I stop to take a breath.

"Well at least I agree with him there." Jeremy says.

"When Tyler found out Damon and I were engaged, he kidnapped me. Caroline figured out where he might have taken me and Damon came and got me."

"Shit! Elena, I had no idea!" Jeremy grabs me and wraps me in a hug. "Are you OK? Did that asshole hurt you?"

"He tried. It could've been really bad but Damon got there in time. Jeremy, you've got to give him a chance. You two and Care are the most important people in my life. Those two have worked their stuff out. Please tell me that you'll try to get to know him and drop the judgment for stuff he didn't actually do."

"I'll try. I promise." Jeremy gives me another hug before going back to his coffee. "So, Caroline, what's the best way to get to know my future brother-in-law?"

"I've got just the thing. We're going to have a cook out at my house!"

**AN: So Jeremy isn't thrilled. We'll be seeing that relationship develop and Jeremy is going to have some news himself...We'll also have some wedding planning coming in the next few chapters. Thank you again for your support! Don't forget to review if you have time and hit those follows and favorites. We are headed into the homestretch of the school year but I'll update as often as possible.**


	3. Chapter 3: Pillow Talk

**Hi! I'm so sorry for the delay. Life has just been extremely busy. Thank you so much for all of the follows, favorites, PMs and reviews! Hope you guys enjoy this one. First chapter in this story to earn the capital M rating. Happy reading!**

Chapter 3: Pillow Talk

"Care, what part of 'backyard football' sounded like a good idea?" I am holding my breath as I watch my brother take advantage of every opportunity to attempt to crush my fiancé.

"It's supposed to be tag not tackle football! How was I to know that Jeremy cheats?"

"You _know_ that he cheats! You helped me raise him from the time he was a teenager!" They are going back to the line as I decide to threaten my little brother. "Jer, you better hope I don't have to ice him down later!"

"Baby, you know I love playing doctor with you!" Damon smirks at me just before the ball is snapped and Jeremy flattens him…again.

"OK, that's it! Game! Food's ready!" I can't watch anymore. As Jeremy tries to run past me as he heads to the house, I grab his arm. "You were taking things a little far don't you think?"

"No, not really. It was all in the name of the game. What's wrong, you afraid that pretty boy can't take it?" There's a hint of menace behind Jeremy's eyes.

"I thought you were going to give him a chance," I press.

"I am. I'm just having a little fun while I do." Jeremy runs off when Damon walks up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"You gonna massage my sore muscle later?" Damon whispers in my ear.

"After that beating you only have one that's sore?"

"Only one that I need you to take care of," he laughs.

"Maybe I should have let the game continue, horny boy."

"So, Jeremy, I hear you are going to be looking for a home in the area?" Ric asks. "Do you have a job lined up already?"

"I do. A buddy of mine from the army got out a year ago. He's opened a security company and I'm going to be working for him."

"Well, judging from the beat down Damon just took, I wouldn't want to go up against you!" Ric laughs while playfully popping Damon in the arm.

"Are you going to be looking for a roommate? I just wondered because we have a few young guys who just started at Saltzman that may be in the market for a roomie." asks Jenna. I really do appreciate that my friends are all treating Jeremy like extended family.

"Thanks, Jenna, but I actually have someone who is going to be moving here and living with me," answers Jeremy.

"Oh? I didn't realize that. Is it anyone I know?" I ask.

"No, you haven't met her yet. Her name is Anna and she was a nurse on our base. She got out just before I did."

"_Anna_? You're moving in with a _girl_? Jeremy, isn't that a little, I don't know, fast? I mean, how long have you known her? Is she a good person?"

"She's a wonderful person. Besides, Elena, don't you think that's a little hypocritical? After all, you're shacking up with Damon!" Jeremy fires back as my so-called friends chuckle at my reaction.

"We are not shacking up! We are engaged!"

"Babe, he has a point," Damon attempts to placate me.

"You know, Damon," says Jeremy, "I might just end up liking you after all."

Jeremy has gone to meet a friend for drinks giving Damon and I the house all to ourselves for a few hours. I'm still reeling from Jeremy's announcement about Anna.

"I can't believe he's going to be living with a girl!"

"I live with a girl and I have found it to be far superior to living with a guy." Damon kisses me on the nose and pulls me into his arms spooning me on the bed.

"That's different! We're different!"

"Like I said at Care's, you're being a little hypocritical, don't you think?"

"I cannot believe you are taking his side in this!" At dinner, Jeremy had proceeded to go on and on about Anna to the guys who, led by Damon, were asking all about her.

"Lena, he seems to really like her. I thought you'd want him to be happy."

"I do want him to be happy but don't you think he's a little young?"

"Babe, if he's old enough to get shot for our country then he is most definitely old enough to move in with a girl and have naked movie nights if he wants!"

"Oh my God! You don't think their having sex?" I ask, my eyes bugging out of my head. In an instant, Damon is giving me a look that says he thinks I've lost my mind.

"You don't honestly think they aren't? Oh no, you actually thought they were going to just be roomies as opposed to living together!" he laughs.

I cover my ears and scrunch my eyes closed. I cannot even fathom the idea. "Please tell me that my baby brother is not having sex. Please! My brain cannot handle that!"

Damon is laughing hysterically. "Lena, honey, you are so naïve! Of course he is having sex! I remember being that age. Hell, I'm horny all the time now and in my twenties I was worse. I promise you they are going at it like bunnies every chance they get!"

"Stop it!" I scream. "I don't want to hear it!"

"Maybe I should try to win some brownie points with Jer and give him the name of that little lingerie shop that now knows me by name. I'll tell him it's his sister's favorite!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh hell yes I would!" Damon is outright belly laughing at this point and I have heard enough. I grab one of our pillows and wallop him as hard as I can. Catching the pillow before I can pull it back, he says, "Tell me you did not just hit me with a pillow."

"I did and I'll do it again if you don't stop laughing at me, asshole!" The grin on his face does not match the devilish gleam of his eyes.

"Asshole? Did you just call me an asshole, Miss Gilbert?"

"You bet I did, _asshole_!" I drag out the last word for emphasis.

"You're going to want to take that back," he smirks.

"No, I'm not." I can be just as stubborn as he can.

"Well, then, you give me no other choice," he says. The next thing I know Damon's arms have me pinned to him and he is tickling me without mercy. In no time, I am out of breath and begging for mercy.

"Stop! Please, Damon, stop!" I whine between laughs.

"But you sound like you are having so much fun," he chuckles.

"Damon, I can't, please, stop, my shirt, I" I'm gasping between laughs.

"You aren't making any sense right now, Lena." I am wearing one of Damon's t-shirts and it's worked its way up to just under my breasts. "Is something wrong with your shirt?" He pauses the tickling for me to answer.

"It's getting all twisted and riding up," I pant.

"Well, let me just get it out of the way." Damon grabs the shirt and with a yank, rips down the front. "Not a problem now. Slip your arms out."

"Damon! I liked that shirt!"

"Well I like what's underneath it better!" he says as he tickles me again before pulling my back tightly to his front. "I especially like how you wiggle that cute little ass," he whispers in my ear. He has stopped the tortuous tickles and is now lightly trailing tickling touches all around my stomach while he places soft kisses on my neck.

"Touch me, Damon," I purr while grinding my butt into him.

"I am touching you, Lena," he chuckles. "Did you mean like this?" He moves to tickle me under my arm causing me to writhe against him.

"No!" I squeal. "Lower!"

"Oh, you prefer here?" He tickles my side and I twitch uncontrollably in his arms.

"Damon, stop!"

"But you just told me to touch you. Okay, have it your way," and he locks his hands on his own arms so that they are no longer touching me but instead he has me in a vice like grip.

"Please, Damon," I whine and circle my hips in an effort to tempt him.

"What do you want, baby?"

"You know what I want," I pout. "I want you to touch me!"

"Okay, pouty, let me just get these out of the way," and with one tug my panties are ripped from me.

"What is it with you and the ripping of clothes today?"

"I don't like wasting time. Now, you wanted me to touch you?" He slides one finger in lazy circles over the top of my breasts, still refusing me what I want but making me breathe heavier with every stroke. When I petulantly whine, he softly laughs, "What's the matter? Is this still not what you had in mind?"

"You know it's not."

"How about this?" He moves his hands up to cup my breasts and lightly pinches both nipples, simply holding them in a too-soft grip. I wiggle my ass against him and whimper when he sharpens the pinch but remains still. "You still don't seem satisfied. Where do you want me to touch you?"

"Damon, I can't…"

"You can't what, baby?" He lets go of my nipples and traces his fingers around them barely touching me. "You're going to have to tell me because apparently I have no idea what you want." His velvety voice is falsely innocent. "Where do you want me to touch you?"

"Touch my…"I stall. I'm never good at asking for what I want.

"Touch your what?" I can hear the smirk in his voice.

"Touch my pu…I can't say it, Damon."

"Then I'm going to have to go back to guessing." He runs a hand across the top of one thigh then the other before coming back to lightly tickle me just below my belly button. I'm wiggling under the relentless teasing. "Am I getting closer?"

"Uh huh," I moan. "Please!"

"I'd be happy to but you've got to tell me."

"Damon, touch my…" he teasingly trails his finger across my thighs and I whine louder.

"What is it you want, Elena? Do you want me to touch your pretty little pussy?"

"Yes," I breathe.

"Then tell me."

"Dammit, Damon, touch my pussy," I angrily whisper. He knows I'm uncomfortable talking dirty even if it makes me hot to hear him do it.

He slides one finger to rest on my clit but stays completely still. "That was a little rude, missy. Mmm, you are so wet. Is that anyway to speak when you are so obviously enjoying yourself? Now ask politely," he chides.

"Please, Damon, touch my pussy," I whine.

"Much better!" I can hear the smile in his voice. "But I am touching your pussy."

"More," I growl. He moves his hand away and makes a tsking sound. "More, please, I need more." He glides his hand up my thigh to my hairless mound. Lifting my leg over his and wrapping his foot around my ankle, Damon has me spread and immobile against him. Using feather light touches he teases me, never spending too much time in one place. He is driving me closer and closer to the edge but refusing to give me enough to push me over. "Please, Damon. I need to more."

"And what do you need me to do?" He's going to make me beg. I can feel it.

"Fuck me, Damon, please, fuck me," I plead. Immediately, he slides into me, filling me. At this angle he is constantly stroking me in just the right spot and I quickly fly to climax. "Oh my God! That was amazing!"

"I'm not done with you yet, Lena!" he growls. He continues to pump into me while finally giving my clit the attention that I crazed but was so loathed to beg for. "You're going to come again for me. Aren't you, beautiful?"

"Yes!" I cry out as I have another mind shattering orgasm.

"I love watching you fall apart in my arms!" he tells me just as he joins me.

Once we have both caught our breath and are sleepily snuggled in the bed I look up at his softly smiling, satisfied face. "So, tickling me and forcing me to talk dirty? This is your idea of a good time?"

He laughs softly, "You were getting far too wound up. You needed a distraction."

"So you made me explicitly beg to be touched?"

"You ask, I please. I'm easy like that!" he quips.

"Be glad I'm too tired to whack you with a pillow again," I grumble.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know you love me," he tells me.

"You bet your sweet ass I do," and I kiss him before nestling against him and falling asleep.

**AN: I love naughty Damon. He's one of my favorite varieties! So, Jeremy is here, he'll be moving into his own place with Anna. I've always felt she was right for him. We'll be pushing forward with wedding plans, fall out from Tyler's trial (read Now and Then if you haven't yet) and lots of other stuff. Have a great week and if you have time, please click that box and let me know what you think. Thank you for being awesome!**


	4. Chapter 4: Location, Location, Location

**Hi Folks, **

**I'm baaaaack! I am so sorry that it has been so long since I posted. I ran up against a brick wall called "writers block" and just could not get past it. Sometimes it's difficult when you know where a story is going but you have to figure out the best route by which to get there. Sort of like going on a road trip without a GPS. ;) Finally, I have powered through. This is short but it sets things in motion. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 4: Location, Location, Location

"What do you mean you are going to get married in 2 months? How is that even possible?" I have just told Caroline the date of mine and Damon's upcoming wedding and her reaction was to panic about the short notice.

"Care, it's quite possible. You see, Damon and I will show up at the same place, we say 'I do', we kiss and it's done," I quip. The look on Caroline's face is the same as I imagine it would be if I had told her it would be fine to where white after Labor Day.

"Elena, you are the best event planner I know but even _you_ cannot plan a wedding in that space of time! You have to secure a photographer, musicians, dresses, a ceremony site, a reception site, a caterer, a florist, select a cake…the list goes on and on!" Caroline ticks off her checklist on her perfectly manicured fingers.

"No I don't." I calmly interject.

"Excuse me? Have you completely lost your mind? Of course you do! You do this professionally so you of all people should know that none of this happens by magic. And don't you dare tell me you are going to elope. Oh my God! You're going to elope!"

"I'm not going to elope."

"Thank goodness because I would hate to have to string Damon up by his balls for convincing you to run off and get married!" Caroline breathes a sigh of relief before arching her brow and asking, "So, would you please explain why you don't need to do all of the things that are required for the big white wedding?"

Taking Caroline's hand, I lead her over to sit down on the chaise in the family room. It is the closest thing we have to a fainting couch and I fear it will be needed for the news I'm about to deliver. "Care, honey, I don't need to do any of those things because I'm not going to have the big white wedding." Her eyes practically bug out of her head as she gasps, "WHAT?"

"Care, I don't want to have a huge wedding," I explain.

"Of course you do! It is the very foundation of your profession! Everybody wants a big wedding!" Caroline's shock and exasperation are clearly written on her face.

"And I am thankful that so many people have booked me to handle their big day. I would not be where I am without it. But I have seen every type of wedding imaginable and I want ours to be specific to us. I don't want it to be a duplicate of anything I've planned before. I want it to be personal and far removed from the events I usually do."

"I can understand that but, Elena, it's your wedding. If you are worried about it becoming work, don't be. Tell me what you want and I can make it happen without you doing anything other than being the bride. Sweetie, every little girl dreams of her wedding, of walking down that aisle to marry the love of their life."

"And they walk down that aisle on the arm of their father while their mother sits on the front row clutching a handkerchief. Believe me, I had that dream but I also have had to realize that real life doesn't always look exactly like the dream." I see a single tear roll down Caroline's cheek. "It's okay. I came to terms with that fact a long time ago. That doesn't mean that I can't still have a dream wedding that looks different from what I originally imagined."

"Elena, I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to be insensitive. I just want to help you have a perfect wedding day. Please, tell me what you have in mind." Caroline's entire demeanor has changed as she settles back to hear my plan.

"Well, Damon and I have discussed it and at first he was just adamant as you that we have a big wedding but we quickly realized that between the two of us the number of people that we know is pretty daunting. We knew we had to approach this one of two ways: have a huge wedding that could potentially turn into a circus or have a simple, intimate wedding with just family and close friends. We both thought the second option suited us best. He pushed to plan the wedding himself and just let me show up and, though the sentiment is sweet, I quickly put the kibosh on that."

"Aww, I think that's romantic," sighs Caroline.

"It is but, as I explained to him, just because I want a small wedding doesn't mean I don't want to plan it."

"True. Please tell me you have at least secured a location?"

"I'm going to make a call and lock that down today."

"Ooo! Where is it going to be?"

"I haven't told Damon yet so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait to find out." With that we settled into an afternoon of planning everything we could about the wedding without revealing the location details.

Damon walked into the kitchen sniffing the air and looking confused. "You cooked?"

"I heated. Aramici's cooked." I had picked up dinner at a little Italian market where you could buy items and simply warm them at home. "Do you mind selecting a wine?"

"Sure. White or red?" Damon asks as he kisses me on the cheek on his way to the wine storage.

"Red would be lovely."

"No, babe, you are lovely. Wine is delicious. Well, you're delicious too."

"Okay, Romeo, I love you too." We have settled into being together with an ease that bodes well for our impending marriage. I carried our plates over to the table that was beside the fireplace in the large eat in kitchen. I remember the first time I was in this kitchen. I had come over to help Damon prep for a wine dinner which was actually code for saying Damon had found whatever way necessary to lure me into his lair. I immediately fell in love with the house and the fireplace in the kitchen was a delightfully unexpected feature. Tonight the crisp winter air has made it a perfect opportunity to enjoy a romantic dinner by the fire especially since this is our first weekend since Jeremy moved into his new house. We have just finished with our dinner and are enjoying the last of our wine when I announce, "I have some news."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that, since you're on your second glass of wine, you aren't pregnant," grins Damon.

"Damon! No! I am not pregnant! Why do you always guess that when I say I need to tell you something?"

"Because I can't wait to knock you up and watch as your belly grows," he laughs.

"Aww, that's such a romantic way to put it," I roll my eyes.

"I mean it, no matter how I say it. I cannot wait for you to wake me up in the middle of the night to feel our baby kicking inside of your tummy. I cannot wait to see you with that pregnancy glow. You know I want a houseful of kids so the sooner we start the better in my book." Damon leans over and softly kisses me as I blink back tears and whisper an "I love you."

"I love you too, baby. What's your news?"

"I nailed down our wedding venue today."

"Really? That's awesome! I still don't see why you wanted it to be such a secret. Where did you decide on?"

"We're going to get married at your mom's," I smile back.

"What?" I'm not sure what to make of Damon's expression. "You want to get married at mom's house?"

"I do."

Pulling out his phone as though to make a call, Damon quips, "Wait! Let me get the preacher over here, you can say those two words again, and this will be a done deal!"

"Damon, stop. I'm serious. I want to get married at Frannie's. I talked to her today and it's all settled. And, I must tell you, she is thrilled beyond belief!"

"Baby, I would love to have our wedding there but are you sure that is what you want? We're only doing this once so I want it to be exactly the way you want it to be."

"This is exactly what I want. Damon, other than Jeremy I have no family. Well, and Caroline since she really is like a sister to me. I love family but after my parents died I lost that. It wasn't until the first weekend at Frannie's that I felt like I was part of a family again. It would mean so much to me to get married in a place that is filled with so much love and joy." When I finish my explanation, Damon pulls me into a hug and kisses me on top of my head.

"I would be honored to marry you at mom's. I think it is perfect. But, there is one problem." I lean back and look at him quizzically.

"But Frannie said," I start.

"There's the problem. She has told you that you can call her 'Mom'."

I grin from ear to ear. "I know but sometimes I slip. The name 'Frannie' just suits her so well!"

"Well, I think having the wedding at mom's is a wonderful idea. You know what else is a wonderful idea?" Damon asks.

"I don't know but I have a feeling you're going to tell me," I giggle.

"Going to bed early," he answers.

"But I'm not sleepy."

"Exactly," Damon naughtily whispers in my ear before scooping me up and heading for our bedroom.

**AN: So, there you have it. Thank you for all the love you always show me. If you have time, I'd love to hear from you in the reviews. We'll come up on the wedding really quickly, a hot honeymoon, then ****their life as a married couple. Yes, there will be trials but they will face them together. Thanks for reading! **


	5. Chapter 5: BachelorBachelorette Party

**I don't know how to say "I'm sorry" in a hundred languages but it I did I would put it here. I don't know if anyone is still around and I deserve it if you aren't. If you are, you appreciated more than you know. Life just gets in the way, some stories have aspects that are too personal for the writer, and some things just don't go according to plan. I was going to try to finish this story while school was out this summer but I got behind. I haven't even had a chance to catch up on reading fanfics in months. This is AU so I will definitely not be following the path of the show even though I will still be avidly watching it. **

Chapter 5: Bachelor/Bachelorette Party

"I just hate that Ric made you leave town for work two weeks before our wedding," I whine into the phone. It's only been a little over 24 hours since Damon left on a rather impromptu business trip but it's the longest we've been apart since our engagement.

"Lena, I need to tell you something." I would be worried but I can hear the smile in his voice telling me that everything is fine. "Ric lied. This was no business trip. Ric, Stefan, and Klaus were waiting at the airport. This was a surprise out of town bachelor party."

"Why does that not surprise me?" I chuckle. "Although I am surprised that Jenna and Caroline kept it quiet."

"Yes, your little minions were in on the plan. Anyway, I haven't called more often because Ric commandeered my phone. I just got it back from him."

"Well, just don't expect any calls from me while I'm out with the girls tonight," I tease. "We're going to Suite."

"Care to tell me what you're wearing?"

"I've got on my black lace dress."

"The one that barely covers your ass and has little tiny straps that I can easily slip off of you shoulders?"

"That would be the one." I can't help but smirk.

"Damn. You know what that dress makes me want to do."

"Are you going to tell me not to wear it? Because this conversation is starting to remind me an awful lot of a conversation we once had before a sorority function back in college," I tease.

"What's wrong with that. As I recall that was the first night that I tied you to my bed," Damon growled.

"Oh yes, I think I might remember a little something about that," I giggle.

"Sir, is this the way you like it?" An unfamiliar female voice is practically purring at my fiancé.

"Damon, who…" but I can tell that he's pulled the phone away from his ear when I hear him mummer, "Mmmhmm, that's exactly the way I like it."

What the hell? Who was this chick talking to Damon like that?

"Please, sir, I need you to turn it off," comes the same breathy voice.

"Elena, sorry, I'm going to have to go. I'll talk..." and then nothing.

"Damon? Damon?" I call but to no avail. Looking at my screen, I see the call has been disconnected. What the fuck? Who the hell was that and what does she have to do with Damon. Just then my doorbell rang signaling the arrival of Caroline and Jenna. Time to shrug off whatever that was and celebrate my last few days of being single.

"Lena, you want to slow down on the shots?" Jenna asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Hell to the no!" I squeal before tossing back another tequila shot. "Cabo Wabo is my friend! Afterall, if Damon can have friends who call him Sir, I can have liquid friends who make me feel like walking awesomeness!"

"What do you mean, friends who call him 'Sir'?" asks Jenna.

"I mean that I finally got to talk to Damon right before you got to my house. He told me about the guys doing their bachelor party trip thing, very naughty of you to keep that from me," I wave my glass at them, sloppily sloshing my margarita on the floor.

"Yeah, they swore us to secrecy but they'll be back tomorrow," Caroline said.

"Yes, Care, I know. I know that they are off in the great city of New York having a blast right now. Yes, yes, having a grand old time with some little slut who finds it perfectly OK to purr to my fiancé, I repeat, MY fiancé asking if that's the way he likes it and to please turn it off. Did I mention he is My fiancé? MINE?" The floor is now enjoying more of my margarita that I will ever taste.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you talking about?" Jenna asks.

"And what did she want him to turn off?" asks Caroline. "That makes no sense. Are you sure you heard that correctly?"

"Oh, I heard it alright. I heard it in her slutty little purring voice. You know, purry like a minx, not like a kitten. I'm a kitten. Kittens are everyday. Guys get distracted by minx."

"Do minx even purr?" asks Jenna. I shoot her a look that makes her mumble, "OK, not the point."

"Again I ask, what would she want him to turn off? That seems weird, like it might explain the whole thing but I'm not sure how."

"Well, Caroline, little miss ray of sunshine and unicorns, if you knew Damon like I know Damon, you'd know that there are infinite possibilities," I grumble.

"Eww, I don't ever want to know as much about Damon as you do!" she squeals.

"Besides, it's a bachelor party get away. Who knows what they are up to…or who! And don't stand there looking all sympathetic at me. Your husband and your boyfriend are with him! Where's that bartender? I need another drink!" Two more margaritas later and I decided I had stewed enough. "You know what, if he can go to New York and act like he's completely unattached, I'm going to have a little fun myself. You guys want to go dance? Because as soon as I have one more shot, I'm going to go see if I can't stir up a little trouble."

"Lena, I think you've had enough to drink. Don't you want to just head home?" Jenna, ever the mother hen was trying her best to bring me to heel.

"If you are tired, you can head out. I can always call Jeremy to pick me up if I need a ride." I grab my shot glass, toss it back and hop down from the stool where I have been sitting. "Toodles," I wave my fingers at Jenna and Caroline as I head out onto the dance floor. A group of guys are standing on the edge of the dance floor and I pull one of them out on the floor with me as I walk by. In no time I feel his hand sliding around my waist and the other on my hip pulling me closer. My new friend spins me around, wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling my back flush against his front as he moves my hair to the side and runs a hand down the side of my body. I close my eyes, lost in the music that is pumping. The club is loud but I have no question of whose voice I hear when someone says, "What do you say you get your fucking hands off of my fiancé?"

"Damon! What are you doing here?" I gasp, shocked to see him staring down my dance partner with enough vitriol to frighten away the scariest of men.

"Sorry, man, I didn't know. We were just dancing," the nameless guy explains.

"Well, she's leaving so you'll need to finding a new dance partner." He didn't need to say anymore. The venom shooting from his eyes causing the poor guy to shrink into the crowd in a effort to find safety.

"I'm not leaving," I stomp my foot like a petulant child.

"Oh, you are," and with that Damon lifts me in a fireman's hold like I weigh no more than a feather.

"Put me down!"

"I'll put you down when I am good and damn well ready," the anger obvious in his voice.

"You're being a caveman!" I am pounding on his back and my fists are bouncing off like he can't even feel them.

"And you're acting like a drunk sorority chick."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry if this isn't the way you like it," I spit back cattily. "Caroline and Jenna will be looking for me."

"Caroline and Jenna left after pointing out your floor show back there," he growls. I can feel the cool air hitting me now that we are outside. "Now, I'm going to put you down if you can promise not to go running back to your new friend." Damon slides me down his body, making sure I feel every hard inch of him on my way down. My feet have no sooner hit the ground than I draw back and slap his cheek making his face snap to the side. He slowly turns back, looks down at me and breathes in and out slowly as if he is trying to calm his temper. "What the fuck was that for?" His voice sounds like gravel.

"That was for whatever the fuck you did with little miss purry voice!" I cover up my eyes and sigh. "I should've stopped drinking earlier. I cannot sound angry enough when I am this drunk."

"You definitely should've stopped drinking if you even remotely think I did anything with anyone! What in the hell are you talking about?" Damon has me pinned between him and the passenger door of his car.

"I heard her, Damon. Don't try to cover it up. You couldn't get off the phone with me fast enough!" I feel the tears starting to pool in my eyes and hate that they are going to reveal how easily he can break me. "After all of this time, I actually believed that I could be enough."

"Turn off the waterworks, Elena, you know you are all I want. I still don't know who you are talking about," Damon looks at me in equal measures anger and bafflement.

"When we were on the phone, I heard her! Stop acting like you don't know who I am talking about!" I shout.

"Heard who? What exactly do you think you heard?" Damon's voice has risen just as much as mine.

"I heard the girl asking if that was the way you liked it and calling you sir! What exactly were you doing to her that she needed you to turn off? Was it the same thing you did to me last weekend?" I have pushed right passed hurt into being snarky and am met by enraged silence.

"Get your ass in the car. We're going home." Damon's quiet voice is much more menacing than his shouts could ever be.

"No." It didn't seem possible that Damon could move any closer or sound any more frightening but he can.

"Get your ass in this car before I pick you up and toss you in there myself. We will finish this discussion at home." He opens the door, waits for me to get in, and slams the door hard enough to make me jump.

As soon as we are in the garage, I jump out of the car and run in the house. We haven't spoken a word the entire ride home and all I want now is to make it to the guest room and lock myself in before Damon realizes what I'm doing.

"Where do you think you're going?" He's taking the steps two at a time as I curse my decision to wear stilettos.

"I'm going to guest room," I spit back.

"Like hell you are! We are going to talk about this and we are going to do it now!" He steps in front of me so that I have no choice but to turn into our bedroom. Grabbing the door, I try my best to slam it in his face but he catches it easily and backs me up against the closet door.

"Fine, you want to talk? Talk! Tell me all about your last bachelor hook up! Was she good? Judging from all of the bossiness and her calling you sir, I guess she appealed to your more dominant nature?"

"Would you just shut up already?" Damon is towering over me with his hands on his hips and, if I weren't so angry and hurt, I would find his raw anger sexy as hell.

"You're the one who wanted to talk," I mouth back.

"I'm going to talk and you are going to listen! You want to know who the woman was that you heard? She was a flight attendant…on the early flight that I got because I hated being away from you. I had ordered bourbon neat, she brought it on the rocks. I asked her to change it and you heard her when she brought the right drink to me. And what she wanted me to turn off? My phone which died before I could tell you good bye because Ric has had it and I didn't have time to charge it since I was in such a hurry to get to the airport to get the flight to get home. To you. Any other questions?" All I can do is shake my head. "You don't have any smart ass come backs? No more rants?" I just shook my head again. "I can't believe you actually thought I could do that to you. You are my life. The last time you got the crazy idea that I was cheating on you, you ran away and I didn't see you for 10 years. I would never do anything to hurt you. I would never disrespect you by violating your trust like that. I would say that it was like a slap in the face for you to think that I would actually do something like that but you've given me a slap in the face tonight and I can assure that this hurt a hell of a lot worse."

"Damon, I'm so sorry," I whimper, running my hand up his chest to cup his cheek but he catches my hand and grasps it in his hand.

"You didn't look sorry when you were grinding on that guy on the dance floor. What were you planning to do? Were you going to pay me back by doing what you assumed I had already done to you?"

"What? No! I was going home with the girls!"

"Really? That's funny because they told me you said for them to leave, that you'd just call Jeremy if you needed a ride home."

"Oh shit!" I gasp. I had said that. My tequila haze had long since faded and what seemed like a good idea at the time now painted a very different picture. "I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Are you thinking clearly now?" Damon asks as he runs his fingers through my hair and places them on my shoulders. I shudder a breath and nod. "Good because I'm going to explain something to you and I'm going to be crystal clear so there are no questions and no confusion next time you question my dedication to you." He brushes a kiss up my neck and across my lips, "This is mine." He glides a possessive hand down my body, "And this is mine." Using a finger on each hand, he makes short work of sending my dress floating to the floor leaving me in my heels and black lace panties. He drops a nip and kiss on each pebbled nipple. "And these are mine." He spins me around, grasping me around the waist and grinding his hardness into my ass, "And this is mine. So you will understand that, when I saw you in this same position on the dance floor with another man, that I got damn jealous and angry as hell. Lena, I will never cheat on you. I will never knowingly hurt you. But understand this, if I ever see another man's hands on you like I did tonight, I will not stop until I make sure he can never lay a finger on you again. Because you, Elena Gilbert, are mine. Do you have any questions?" I feel his lips skimming up my neck and whimper a no. I am putty in his hands now and he knows it. "Good." He kisses my neck and his hand that has been on my waist moves lower. "God, Lena, you drive me insane. I don't know why you don't trust that you are all I'll ever want and all I'll ever need. Maybe I need to do a better job of showing you." I hear his pants unzip and hit the floor as he pushes me against the door, pins my hands above my head and slides into me from behind. It's not slow and sweet, it's hard and fast and just what we both need to wipe away all of the hurtful things that I've said tonight. He pushes me over the edge quickly and on his final thrust says, "I swear to God, Lena, you are mine, I love you and don't you ever forget it."

The next morning finds Damon and I wrapped in each other more than we are wrapped in the sheets. When Damon sees I'm awake, he says, "Morning, beautiful. You OK?"

"If we're OK, I'm OK," I answer.

"If you can forgive my caveman nature then I guess we are fine," Damon answers.

"You're not a caveman. Well, most of the time," I smile softly. "I'm sorry that I hurt you. I heard her and jumped to conclusions. And my behavior at the bar was just wrong. I hope you know I would have never gone anywhere with that guy."

"I just hate that you even thought that you had any reason to be upset," he sweetly kisses my forehead. "I've come to a conclusion."

"What's that?"

"All bachelor parties should be outlawed. They just start fights. I'm going to advise Ric against it which he'll hate since I am a much better party planner than he'll ever be. Although, I must say that going to see the Knicks was a pretty sweet way to celebrate."

"Oh my God!" I gasp and bury my head under the sheet.

"What?" Damon sits up alarmed.

"I can't believe I slapped you!" I sit up flush with embarrassment.

"Come here," he wraps his arm around me, pulling me into the safe cocoon of his arms.

"Does it hurt? Are you ok?" I ask, probing at his cheek.

"It felt kind of like being nudged by a puppy," he teases. I know that he's exaggerating but I appreciate the thought.

"I'm so sorry," I kiss his cheek softly.

"I'm sure you'll think of some way to make it up to me," he grins.

**AN: This chapter is a bit rough and touches on the insecurities that she dealt with in the past. It may seem strange to dredge that up at this point but believe me when I say that if you deal with those types of insecurities, they don't just disappear. They have the tendency to rear their ugly heads at the darnedest times. They will be OK. :) Thank you so much for reading! I really do appreciate you folks and I'm sorry I haven't responded to each individual comment and PM. I figured while I had time I needed to update. Thank you, thank you , thank you! **


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